Frog-switch



2 .Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

V. A. TYLER. PROGl SWITCH.

No, 4s'1,464. Patented sept. so, 1890.

mueven, o. c.

mz Norms PETER: ca, Moro-umol, wu

(No Mqdel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' V, A. TYLER.

FROG SWITCH .Patented Sept. 30.. 1890,

me No AUNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

FROG-SWITCH..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,464, dated September 30,1890.

Application filed June 11, 189. Serial No. 355,058. (No model.) I

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VERNON A. TYLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mor'- ris Park, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Frog-Switches for Railway-Tracks, of which the following is a specication.

In the frogs employed with the lines of rails constituting the track there is always a space between the points from which the rails diverge, and this space causes a hammering that is produced by the wheels of cars in mo-` tion passing fro-m one point of the frog tothe next. These frog-points rapidly become worn and sometimes broken and especially so upon curves. -It is also always necessary to provide frogs with guard-rails, which add to their cost. It is therefore very desirable to be able to dispense with devices having the objectionable opening and other features of the frog and provide continuous lines of rail, as

this also facilitates rapid running and lessens wear and tear.

The object of my invention is to provide a continuous line of rail and to do away with the points in frogs and the spaces between said points; and in carrying out my invention I provide a length or section of rail to connect the diverging lines of track-rails, and this is pivoted at one end to a bed-plate and is adapted to be moved and automatically locked at the other end, so as to'conform with either diverging line of track-rail at the crossingpoint.

My improved frog-switch is adapted to be moved in connection with an ordinary switch and to be thrown at the same time, and by -my improvement I am enabled to dispense with the guard-rails employed in frogs at either side of the diverging or crossing rails. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View l illustrating my frog-switch and two lines of track. Fig. 2 is a plan view, in large size, of the frog-switch and ends of the diverging rails. Fig. 3 is a cross-section at the lineyy of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-section at the line a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section at the line .c s; and Fig. 6 is a sectional plan at the line e z', Fig. 4.

A A and B B represent the lines of rail com-posing the two tracks, and C the frog- A switch rail or rail-section at the crossing or a, are secured by the usual spikes to the cross-* ties b. The plate a is provided with a circular opening at 3 and 4, a longitudinal opening at 13, and surface lugs or stops c c. The plate a serves also as a foundation or base for the rail-section C.

The rail-seetion C is riveted to a plate a2, l

and there are longitudinal openings at 5 6 in the plate a2, and the rail C is preferably notched in line with these openings. Y A circular plate d, with lugs d at opposite sides,l

is connected to the rail C and plate a2 by bolts or rivets?, and the opening at 3 andy 4 in the plate a is of a shape adapted to receive the plate d and lugs d when the rail C is in a position at right angles to the length of the plate a, so that the rail O is held securely Awhen brought in line with the plate a', the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 4.

I provide a spring-bar e, bolted or riveted at 8 to the under side of the plate a and parallel to said plate, and this bar e is provided with a locking-lug f, Working upwardly in the opening 13 of the plate a and adapted to enter either opening 5 0r6 of the plate a2. Said locking-lug f is provided with a slotted slideway or guides g, also secured to the under side of the plate a.

The slide-bar D, for operating the frogswitch, is made with forked portions h h', riveted together. The portion hpasses through a slideway 9, secured to the under side of the plate a, and between the plate a and springbar e its under side is provided with a lug c', having oppositely-inclined faces. `The portion h of this lever passes through an opening in the web of the rail C, and is provided upon its upper. face with lugs or stops 7c lc.

The operation of my frog-switch is as follows, when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the Vrail G forms a continuous line with the rail A and IOO is locked by the lug f and bears against the taneously with this the stop k has moved up to the web of the rail C, and the further movement of the slide-bar D by the stop 7c shifts the rail C over into line with the rail B to form a continuous track. As the rail C reaches alignment with the rail B, the springbar e and the lug f rise on the other inclined face of the lug i, and the locking-lug f enters the opening 6 in the plate a2 at the same'time that 'the opposite edge of the plate a2 cornes against the stop c, and the rail-section is'. locked in its position of alignment wi-th the track B. The movement of the slide-bar D in the opposite direction returns the rail-section C to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by a like movement to that already described.

The plate a2 is longer than the frog-switch rail C, and the ends of the diverging rails A v the ends of the rails A B, and any canting v B overhang the edges of the plates a. and the projecting ends of the plate d pass in beneath tendency of the rail C is thus prevented. The ends of the rail C, plate a2, rails A B, and the edges of the plates a a are curved on the arc of a circle struck from the center of the pivot d.

I claim as my invention.

1. The combination, with the diverging rails A B and the bed-plates a', to which the same are riveted, of the foundation bed-plate a, secured with the plates a andrails A B to the crossties and extending as a rigid bar between the ends of the diverging lines of rai1s, a railvsection C, and a plate a2, riveted thereto, a pivot-plate d, secured to the plate a and rail Gand passing through an opening in the plate c, and having lugs below the same, a locking device for `securing the rail, and a slide-bar for moving the rail and locking'device, substantially as set forth.

2. The'combination, with thediverging lines of rails and the bed-plate connecting the same,

of a rail-section C between the ends of the diverging rails, a pivot-plate connected to one end of the rail C and adapted to engage the bed-plate, the spring-bar e, and locking-lug f,

moving upwardly through the bed-plate and adapted to engage the opposite end of the railsection,and a slide-bar adapted to operate the spring-bar and llug and shift the rail C, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the diverging rails A B, the bed-plates a', and the connecting bedplate a, having an opening at 3 4, of the railsection C, the plate a2 below and fastened to the rail C, the pivot-plate d, having lugs d projecting beneath the plate a, and mechanism, substantially as specified, whereby the rail-section is .secured when in line with the diverging rails, but can be removed when turned transversely to the track, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the d iverging rails A B and the connecting bed-plates a a', of the rail-section C and its plate a2, the pivot-plate d., having lugs and engaging the plate a, the spring-bar e and its locking-lug f, the slidebar D, forked at h h', the lug i, having oppositely-inclined faces,'and stops upon the portion h and upon the plate a, whereby the rail C is shifted, brought up against the stops, and locked, substantially as Vand for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with the bed-plate a and the plates a', of the diverging rails A B, secured to the plates a a, and the ends'of which rails overhang or extend beyond the edges of the plates a', the frog-switch rail C between the diverging rails, Ithe plate ar'iveted to the rail yC and of greater length than the same and extending at its ends beneath the ends of the rails A B, a pivot for the rail C, a locking device for securing the rail, and a slide-bar for moving the rail and locking device, whereby the rail yC is held and locked and -canting prevented, `substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

i Signed by me this 6th dayfof June, A. D. 1890.

VERNON A. TYLER. Witnesses:

Guo. T. PIN-CKNEY, HAROLD SERRELL. 

